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Kolchak
Double Feature
MGM
Edition
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Night
Stalker
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7 |
Night
Strangler
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8 |
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8 |
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Guest
Review by Troy
Howarth |
Based
on a short story by Jeff Rice, The Night
Stalker introduced TV audiences to the beloved character
of Carl Kolchak (Darren McGavin), a wiseguy reporter with a
knack for stumbling onto supernatural stories. Assigned to what
seems a routine murder case, Kolchak discovers that the killer
terrorizing Las Vegas is a vampire...
In The Night Strangler,
Kolchak has relocated (with more than a push from the police
and political figures in Las Vegas) to Seattle, Washington.
There he is assigned to cover yet another series of murders
— this time, the culprit turns out to be a 144-year old man
(Richard Anderson) who has retained his youth and vitality through
murder and alchemy...
Anchored by Darren McGavin's endearing, finely
tuned portrayal of Kolchak, these two TV films (and the series
that followed) have stood the test of time remarkably well.
Long before viewers became enraptured with The X Files,
these films offered a similar mix of humor, horror and political
paranoia.
Originally envisioned by ABC as just another movie of the week,
The Night Stalker premiered to
rave reviews and broke ratings records when it aired in 1971.
There are any number of reasons for its success, but the most
generic summation works as well as any: this is good storytelling,
skillfully made and perfectly cast. Directed by Englishman John
Llewellyn Moxey (City
of the Dead, Circus
of Fear), it moves at a terrific pace and never lulls for
more than a couple of seconds. As previously noted, McGavin's
performance is key to its success. Kolchak works as a character
because his actions are always believable, and it is easy for
the audience to identify with him. He is not an occult-obsessed
outcast but a gregarious, pushy and undeniably sardonic reporter
who initially scoffs at the suggestion of the supernatural.
However, when he witnesses the proof for himself, he does his
best to convince a slow-moving police force (represented by
Claude Akins, in wonderfully blowhard form) and his boss at
the paper (a terrific Simon Oakland) that a vampire is really
behind it all. His mounting frustration is effectively handled
by McGavin, and when he finally decides to move in for himself
and do what needs to be done, the viewer can't help but side
with him. In addition to McGavin, the excellent supporting cast
(which also includes veteran character actors Ralph Meeker,
Charles McGraw and Kent Smith) helps to keep things grounded
in a semblance of reality. A fine impression is also made by
Barry Atwater, cast in the role of a lifetime as pasty-faced,
red-eyed vampire Janos Skorzeny; rumor has it that Robert Quarry
(Count Yorga, Vampire)
was supposed to play the part in a more extended form but that
he was blocked from doing so by an exclusive contract with AIP.
Atwater doesn't have much screen time nor does he have any dialogue,
but he makes for a fine, feral vampire and even manages to elicit
some odd sympathy in his final moments. Production values aren't
particularly impressive, but the film seldom looks cheap and
only the occasional gaffe (a camera shadow during a sunny outdoor
scene comes to mind) points to the haste with which it was made.
Regardless of its TV origins, this is first-rate entertainment
that eclipses many of the "bigger" films of its genre.
After
the success of The Night Stalker,
the inevitable sequel followed in the form of The
Night Strangler. Though screenwriter Richard Matheson
rehashes much of his script for the original film —
only the setting and the nature of the "monster" is significantly
different —
it is, on the whole, a more satisfying work. The reason for
this is simple: by now McGavin (as well as Simon Oakland, returning
as his blustery bureau editor, Vincenzo) had thoroughly grown
into the role. His scenes with Oakland —
disappointingly sparse in the first film —
are
increased this time, and they provide enormous entertainment
value. The scenario is, in essence, a variation on The Man
In Half Moon Street (made into a film by Paramount in 1945
with Nils Asther, and by Hammer as The
Man Who Could Cheat Death in 1958 with Anton Diffring
and Christopher Lee) and deals with a mad doctor's attempt to
stay young and healthy by taking the spinal fluid from his victims.
However, as in The Night Stalker,
it's the cast that really makes it work. In addition to McGavin
and Oakland, there are terrific character roles for Wally Cox,
John Carradine, Margaret Hamilton, Scott Brady... even Al (Grandpa
Munster) Lewis! Dan Curtis (who produced the first film) steps
up to the directing task this time around, and his handling
of the material is every bit as slick and pacey as Moxey's.
If the film has anything working against it, it's pretty much
confined to the final act, which is a little rushed —
as well as the "monster" makeup for Anderson, which looks
no more sinister than a children's Halloween mask. Even with
these flaws, The Night Strangler
is a marvelous slice of Seventies horror.
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The
two telefilms were first released on DVD by Anchor Bay in 1998
but that edition was discontinued some two years ago. (You can
read Brian's July 2001 review of the AB disc by clicking here.)
Fortunately MGM Home Entertainment has deemed to bring these cult
favorites back to the digital format.
MGM's
new double feature release of The Night
Stalker and The Night Strangler
is very satisfying. Both films — presented in their original fullframe
aspect ratio — look and sound as good as one could hope for. Colors
are strong and detail is extremely sharp. A bit of grain is evident
in both films, but this is to be expected for 30+ year old TV
movies. Both films sound clear and distinct, doing justice to
Robert Cobert's memorable music scores. Extras are limited to
two brief interviews with Dan Curtis. The interview segment for
The Night Stalker is the more substantial
of the two, and viewers still reeling over his self-congratulatory
commentary for Burnt Offerings will
likely find him more agreeable and endearing this time around.
Curiously, his interview about directing The
Night Strangler is much shorter and doesn't offer a lot
of insight. While commentary tracks with Curtis and Moxey would
have been welcome, Curtis does a good job on his own explaining
the genesis of both films. 9/04/04 |
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